Personality Testing And The Benefits Essay

Personality is a complex area of Psychology, which has been studied for many years, by many experts in the field. Each having their own ideas about how to understand, study and evaluate it. Here I will introduce personality briefly, looking at the theories behind it. Then explain the need for testing. As there are many test that are available to use, for the purpose of this essay I will look at The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and discuss the reliability and validity of some studies around these tests.

Personality theories, or models, are metaphors for describing something which is intrinsically indescribable, the human personality. Currently, one of the most popular approaches among psychologists for studying personality theory is the Five-Factor Model (FFM) or Big Five dimensions of personality. This essay will explore the 'Big Five ' personality constructs and seek to explain how useful they are to understanding how people are likely to perform in a work situation. In conclusion, this essay will also discuss some of the arguments against the relevance and accuracy of personality testing within the employment context.

This paper introduces the overview of personality assessment approaches in use currently in society. It proceeds to review the big five personality measures, its validity in prediction of personality types (Archer, 2011). The topic on MIPS questionnaires use in personality measurements and scoring methods used by the system is reviewed. Aspects on the social desirability trait and the distortion produced in responses to evaluation questionnaires, being a significant part of the problems in personality assessment is examined. Social desirability does not have an influence on the predictive validity of personality assessments. It is not related to performance in the job. Various strategies used for reduction of social desirability have been studied. The various tools used in assessments are recapitulated including some methodological aspects (Weiner, 2009). Cultural aspects in evaluation of personality discussed are touched upon. Two case studies are used to show the real life situation of personality assessment.

The psychometric testing in other words may be called as “measurement of the mind”. During the selection process the education level, skills and experience are the things, which are normally estimated, however the behavioral traits and personality of a candidate is much more difficult to assess during an interview. As a result

These assessments facilitate dramatically the hiring process by identifying the thinking styles, occupational interests and behavioral traits and allow the visualization of the “total person”. To complete the assessment process behavior tendencies play an important role in increasing individual productivity by identifying personal accommodation , assertiveness, attitudes, energy level, independence, objective judgment, sociability, manageability and decisiveness.

Recruitment and selection tests “aim to provide a potential employer with an insight into how well you work with other people, how well you handle stress, and whether you will be able to cope with the intellectual demands of the job” (Psychometric Success, 2013). These tests are split into personality tests and aptitude/ability test. LL would benefit from personality tests for all employees to ensure

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an evaluative personality tool that is widely used throughout the world today. It is important for a tool that is popularly utilized in a variety of fields and at numerous professional institutions worldwide to be a credible one. So, is the MBTI really the valid reliable personality inventory instrument it claims to be? Evaluating this tool will show that empirically sound evidence does not exist to support the MBTI as an accurate, reliable, or valid instrument for profiling one’s personality type.

Individuals do not have the same abilities and skills regarding dealing with various situations. According to Luca and McMahon (2006), personality assessment is defined as an objective method to assess and evaluate the individuals’ personalities, characteristics, and attributes. It evaluates and analyzes the individuals’ weaknesses and strengths systemically.

a. According self tests using the Five Factor Model, my personality has low extraversion and emotional stability, a high degree of openness, and moderate levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness. Low extraversion is demonstrated in both professional and social envionments. While working a corporate job as a financial analyst, taking the time and initiative to interact with coworkers beyond the scope of the job was limited to a brief conversation once a day with the same two people. In large social gatherings, interactions are limited to familiar people with whom I have pre-existing friendships. If I attend a concert by myself, I will bring a book to read in between musical acts to prevent people from speaking to me. Low emotional

Selecting tests can measure knowledge, skills and ability, as well as other characteristics, such as personality traits and they are useful to evaluate the right employee for a specific role, by identifying the candidate personality. For example, if a company or department needs to hire a new manager, a psychological/aptitude test may help to understand better if the candidate has the features required for that specific job position (strong leadership skills, such as high self-confidence, calmness, flexibility, etc).

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore what personality trait I am through taking a personality test. By taking this test it will allow me to analyze my strengths and weaknesses as a person and how to improve those characteristics in the workplace.

Allport defines personality as ‘the dynamic organisation within the individual of those psychological systems that determine his unique adjustment to his environment’ (Allport, 1937). An individual’s unique personality traits and attributes are a powerful indicator of how he/she will interact with the work environment. The difference between average and outstanding employees can often be solely personality related. As the employee is the most valuable asset to the company, ‘selecting the right employee during the process is critical’ (Carbery and Cross, 2013, pp. 41-53)

Companies have started to use personality tests in the past five years so that they can find a potential employee’s strengths and weaknesses. If questions and answers are quite accurate and test is done properly it can help an employer to find more about person’s advantages and disadvantages. It is very important to know because one of the most important points is that most of personality tests help to recognize unqualified candidates. “Although experts warn that many personality assessments don't deliver what they promise, legitimate scientifically validated tests are helping employers evaluate job candidates to select those best suited for particular positions. Other tests are designed to measure intelligence, honesty, management aptitude and other qualities.”

The use of personality assessments in the workplace has tremendously increased in recent years for the purposes of selection, placement, and development of employees. The rationale for the use of these tests is that personality assessments are useful for explaining and predicting work attitudes, behaviors, and job performance because “personality includes a wide range of characteristics that people possess; many of them have an impact upon the ways people behave in the workplace” (Boutelle, 2015). However, an increased use of this type of assessments has raised some ethical issues such as discrimination (i.e., adverse impact), violation of privacy and social desirability bias (i.e., distorted responses) which should be considered when

Loevinger (1955) has proposed five principles for personality assessment. The first is concerned with the structure of the test. This suggests a greater degree of test ‘structure’; do identify similarities and differences in test results and to allow the test administrator to draw conclusions for these results. The next principle is the ‘disguise’ principle, which allows for more valid testing. The principle of ‘least stress’ creates a valid result, as the participant is comfortable and relaxed with minimal stress under the test conditions. The fourth principle, the principle of the ‘dynamic continuum’ highlights how test results should be measured empirically such as common traits. The final proposition is the principle of ‘emotional limitation’ is that the emotions of the administrator are